Towards a Soft Robotic Glove for Physical Rehabilitation Featuring Adjustable Agonist/Antagonist Muscle Support

Stroke is estimated to affect about 5,500,000 people annually worldwide, with 60-80% of survivors left with unilateral weakness in their extremities. Other diseases and accidents also contribute to limited mobility and paralysis for millions of patients worldwide. This paper presents the design of a wearable glove that has the capability to curl, extend and resist finger movement by providing forces similar to those produced by agonist and antagonist muscles. The aim of the device is to assist with physical rehabilitation while also providing haptic feedback to the patient. This is achieved by utilizing a pneumatic soft robotic actuation system to provide the curling force (agonistic movement) and a tendon-based pulley system to provide the opposing force (antagonistic movement). This technological choice allows for flexibility as well as gentle, soft feeling of the device, reducing the chances of injury during the rehabilitation process. The design aims to enrich existing physical rehabilitation repetitive motion training routines, utilizing haptic feedback and limiting the range of finger curling utilizing simulated tendons.